


Once Upon A December

by mirkandmidnight



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Anastasia Fusion, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Disney, F/M, Getting Together, Light Angst, Light-Hearted, M/M, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 14:35:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6858970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirkandmidnight/pseuds/mirkandmidnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Poe just wants to get off of Hoth, okay? He didn't ask for an annoying possible duke. </p>
<p>Okay, maybe he did, but that doesn't make him any less annoying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon A December

"You do realize," Poe tells Finn one afternoon, "that unless we find a passable Ben Solo, we're probably never going to get out of Hoth?"

Finn reclines on the couch, hand over his eyes, and groans. "I know," he replies. "Who would have thought it would be so hard to find someone to be Leia Organa's wayward son?"

Poe raises his hands in a warding gesture. "Hey, this was your con, okay? I wanted to-" he cut off at the sound of a knock at their door. "Come in," he calls, and a tall young man walks in. He's pale, with a mop of dark hair and freckles dotting his face. As prospects go, not so bad. He shoots Finn a look, and the other man stands up in a hurry.

"Can we help you?" Finn asks.

He hesitates. "Um, is this Maz's? I was told I could find work here."

But this is when Poe jumps in. He sits up and rakes the man with his gaze, then feigns surprise. "You know, you look just like the lost duke, Ben Solo." If the guy has any family, it'll come out and that will be the end of that.

The man brightens. "Really? You know, I don't know anything about my family. Grew up in an orphanage." This is easier than they could have hoped. This guy is playing right into their hands, jumping into them, even.

"Wow," says Finn. "How old were you?"

"About eleven. But that was nine years ago or so." This is the answer to their prayers. A man who looks convincing, is the right age, and doesn't have any pesky relatives to butt in? Perfect.

"Well," Finn continues, "Duchess Leia Organa has been looking for her missing son for about ten years now. He's your age, is supposed to look similar to you, and you don't know your family at all." He shrugs. "Huh. What a coincidence."

The kid's face goes fast real fast and damn, this could definitely be a problem. "You think I'm him, don't you? Let me guess, there's some kind of reward."

Oh, hell.

Luckily, Finn is a lot better at this job than he is, because he steps in before things can get too out of hand. "Look, my friend and I just want to get out of Hoth. And what've you got to lose by trying? Best case, you get your family back. Worst case, you go on your way, no harm done." He waits a moment. "Come on," he wheedles, "what's the harm?"

The guy looks between them and sighs. "Fine," he says, "I'm Kylo Ren. Nice to meet you."  
And oh, Poe has high hopes for this venture.  
***  
His hopes are dashed before they even get out of town. This Kylo Ren had seemed nice enough, but apparently he's just been waiting to show his true asshole colors, when it's much too late for them to ditch him or send him back. They've been at odds over anything and everything, from Poe's clothes to economics to the weather, for Christ's sake. Poe's not sure what he's done to deserve this, but it's infuriating. And the worst part is that Finn thinks it's absolutely hilarious.   
They're sitting in a private train compartment in silence while Finn alternates between glancing between the two of them and chuckling into his newspaper.

Traitor.

"So," Poe starts, searching for a topic that won't somehow end in a fight. It's harder than it reasonably should be.

Kylo glances at him. "So?" he repeats, as if Poe is a particularly stupid kid.

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, suddenly irritated for no reason he can see. No, that's not true. He knows why he's irritated, and it's the very essence of the person squished next to him while Finn hogs the whole opposite bench. "You know, that attitude is really not going to be helpful when we get to Alderaan."

The other man sputters. "There is nothing wrong with my attitude!"

He raises his hands, then looks out the window. He's concentrating on the scenery so much that he almost misses Kylo muttering, "Scruffy nerf-herder."

His head jerks up. "Oh, now that's really professional. That's how a duke should act." And maybe it's a little mean-spirited, but they're not going to get anywhere fast with Kylo acting like a petulant child.

Finn is looking worried, but the kid continues. "Well, if I'm so unprofessional, then I just won't talk to you."

"Fine!" Poe snaps.

"Fine."

Finn looks out the window, the worried look still on his face, and clears his throat. "I don't know if you'd be interested in knowing this," he says, "but it looks as through our carriage isn't attached to the rest of the train anymore."

The other two shove at each other briefly in an attempt to get to the window, and Poe ends up squatting and peering over Kylo's shoulder. Little fucker. But yeah, that's not good at all. They're speeding down the track at an incredible pace, and they're definitely going to crash if they don't slow down. And that isn't something Poe wants to do today.

"Okay," he says, taking a moment to think. "We're going to have to get off somehow, and it's probably going to be jumping."

Kylo shakes his head vehemently. "If you think I'm jumping out of a moving train carriage, then you're not only crazier than I thought, you're stupid."

Little shit. "You'll do it or you'll die," Finn says, and leads them to the back of the train carriage. They're the only ones in this carriage, which is something at least. There's a sturdy door at the end, and when Poe tries the handle, it's locked.

Okay, fine. This is fine. They're just all going to die.

Kylo frowns and starts pawing through his hair. Poe is sure it's very nice hair, but this is really not the time, not when they're all about to die. He pulls loose a hair pin and kneels next to the lock. He jams the end of the pin into the lock and starts twisting. And Poe is really trying hard not to be impressed by this, but it's kind of difficult when the lock opens after about thirty seconds.

Finn claps him on the back as they make their way outside. The wind whips past them viciously, and when Poe looks around, it's immediately evident that they're fast approaching a cliff.

This is one of Poe's least favorite train rides.

"Alright," Finn says. "We're just going to have to jump."

"Oh, hell no," Kylo says.

Finn looks at him, then over at Poe. "Would you mind?" he asks, long suffering.

Poe grins. "It would be my pleasure," he says, then seizes Kylo around the waist and launches them both off the side of the train and into the snow. They land in a tangle of limbs, Poe's nose pressed up against the other man's shoulder and their legs tangled together.

Kylo pushes himself up, shoving Poe off in the process, and starts wiping snow off of himself. It's all over his dark clothes and clumped in his hair, and for the first time in their brief acquaintance, he looks less than put together. 

"Well, that was an odd coincidence," he says, and the other two men glance at each other. It's most likely not a coincidence that the train car with two con men and potential royalty just happened to get uncoupled from the rest of the train, but Poe is willing to let it go. Just as long as it doesn't happen again, they'll be fine.

It happens again. Well, not that exact situation, but their journey continues to be plagued by odd disasters. At Jakku, they get caught in a firefight. In Coruscant, they get chased by droids. It's beginning to be annoying.

So when they decide to catch a boat at Dagobah, Poe is just waiting for the other shoe to drop. They hire a private vessel and set off, hoping to make Alderaan in good time. The weather seems to be cooperating, which is the first good luck they've had. 

It's early in the evening when Poe first realizes that Kylo is probably going to need to know how to dance. And it's too much to ask that he'll already know a basic waltz. Not to mention, Poe is the only one who'll be able to teach him, since Finn has two left feet and a terrible sense of rhythm.

Dammit.

So he goes over to where Kylo is sitting and taps him on the shoulder. He offers his hand. "May I have this dance?"

Kylo stares at his hand as if it's about to grow teeth and bite. "What are you doing?" he grinds out, but Poe pulls him to his feet.

"What does it look like?" he retorts. There's a brief moment of awkwardness when both of them try to lead, but Poe lets him have that one. If they ever get to Alderaan, he'll need to be able to lead a dance partner. And it's not as if it's some kind of concession on his part. He's just thinking of the greater good here. After a moment, Finn seems to realize what they're doing and a grin spreads across his face. He turns to watch and begins clapping a beat for them to follow.

Kylo stumbles a lot at first, which is equally frustrating and gratifying. It's nice to get one over on the guy, but is it worth the sacrifice his toes are making? After the fourth time, he sighs. "I get that you don't like me, but can you at least make an effort not to break my feet?"

The other man gets a mulish look in his eyes, and for a moment, Poe is a little afraid for his toes. But Kylo just stands up straight, lifts his chin, and proceeds to waltz. He's seen a fair amount of dancing before, but damn, this guy can waltz. It's like he's known how all his life and is just now remembering, and all Poe can do is be swept along.

Maybe he really is Ben Solo.

As soon as he has the thought, he pushes it away. Ben Solo is dead, was killed by Imperial stormtroopers, in all likelihood. Whoever Kylo Ren is, he's not some stand in for a boy Poe met when they were ten years old. 

Then, suddenly, he's being dipped and Kylo's face is inches away from his own, eyes dark with a challenge. For a moment, Poe forgets how to breathe.

"That good enough for you?" he asks. When Poe doesn't answer, he drops him on his ass and heads below deck.

Poe gets up, still watching the other man go. Finn joins him. "Are we absolutely sure he isn't Ben   
Solo?"

"I don't know," he replies. "I don't know." And that's more terrifying than anything he's faced before.  
***  
Because nothing in Poe's life is allowed to go right, the weather goes to shit that night. Their ship is shaken with storms, and they're all forced to go below and lash themselves into their bunks to keep from getting injuries.

It's difficult to sleep, but Poe manages a few hours before he's woken by a door slamming shut. He looks around, and Finn is still in his bunk, sound asleep. He's not surprised. Of the three of them, it would be Kylo that wanders off in the middle of the night.

He groans, but quickly unties himself and makes his way out of the cabin and towards the deck. As he reaches it, he's forced to raise an arm to shield his eyes from the whipping rain. It's dark, and the winds are making him clutch at the doorframe to keep from toppling sideways. He peers through the gloom and manages to make out a tall figure heading towards the prow of the ship.

Oh, hell. He really can't afford to let Kylo go over the side. Poe pushes forward through the rain to the prow of the ship. He's dangerously close to the side, and Poe really can't take this kind of stress on a daily basis. It's not good for his health.

Just as he reaches the railing, Poe catches up and nearly falls over at a wave that rocks the whole ship. The other man wobbles on the deck, and he launches himself forward, wraps his arms around Kylo's waist, and pulls them both down on their backs on the deck. The ship tosses beneath them and somehow, inexplicable, the other man is fast asleep.

Poe is trapped beneath him and won't be able to get out anytime soon, since the guy is unreasonably tall and heavier than he looks. Only feeling a little bad about it, Poe shakes him once. His eyes open and he stares at Poe for a moment before seeming to realize who he is.

"What's going on?" he shouts over the wind.

He shrugs as best as he can manage. "I don't know, but let's get out of here!" He shoves at Kylo's shoulder and they both scramble through the door and below deck. They stand in the hallway for a moment, catching their breath and shaking the water from their clothes.

"So," Kylo says. "Thanks, I guess."

Poe shrugs and puts his hands in his sodden pockets, feeling very shy all of a sudden. "It wasn't a problem," he says, "Although, you know, it would have been nice to know that you sleepwalk."

He laughs a little, and looks down at his feet. "Gotcha," he replies.  
***  
Things are different after that. Better, he things. They aren’t at each other’s throats so much, and Poe is actually able to appreciate Kylo’s deadpan humor when it isn’t always directed at him. And he’s kind, which is something of a revelation. 

He’s sitting next to Finn, tying his shoes, when he nudges Poe. “You like him, don’t you?”

“What?” Poe sputters. “No, I don’t.”

Finn just looks at him. “How long have we been friends? I know you, man.”

He shoves at Finn’s shoulder, but can’t quite keep the grin off his face. He doesn’t care that Finn will likely never let him live any of this down.

But when they finally make it to Alderaan, they go straight to the apartment building where Duchess Organa lives. Finn knows her personal assistant, Rey, which is most likely the only reason they’re getting an audience with the duchess at all. After the disappearance of her son, she’s been notoriously difficult to see. Poe is loathe to admit it, but he’s just as nervous as Kylo seems to be. What if he isn’t Ben Solo? The duchess isn’t going to keep searching forever, and he’d hate to be on the receiving end of her anger.

And what if he is Ben Solo? That’s a whole other can of worms he hasn’t considered. If Kylo Ren is really Ben Solo, Poe’s going to have to find a real job. He can’t keep doing cons forever, and this will give him an air of legitimacy. Finn will likely bunk with Rey, but Poe has no money and doesn’t know anyone in Alderaan.

So, essentially, no matter how things go, he’s going to get the short end of the stick. Perfect.

But Poe doesn’t have much time to think about that because suddenly they’re standing in front of a stately building guarded by two men in uniform. They eye the three as they pass through, one muttering, “Better than the last two, at least.”

Kylo’s head jerks around at that, then he turns back to look at Poe. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he whispers.

“Don’t worry about it,” he responds as Finn knocks at the door.

It opens, and a dark haired woman appears on the other side. Her arms are folded across her chest as she looks down at them. “How can I help you?” she asks, making it perfectly clear that she doesn’t want to be helping them at all.

Finn clears his throat. “We think we’ve found the duchess’s son.”

The woman (who Poe has to assume is Rey) narrows her eyes. “You’d better not have brought me a fake, Finn, or you’ll rue the day you were born.” But she leads them down the front hallway and into an opulent sitting room. 

In a plush armchair sits the grandest old lady Poe’s ever seen. She’s dressed in dark satin with her hair braided into a coronet, and she fixes them all with a judgmental look as they enter. At first glance, the resemblance between she and Kylo is striking, and even Poe starts to believe that they might be related. 

Leia eyes Poe. “So. What have you con artists brought me? The only reason I’m entertaining this at all is because Rey seems to trust you.” She fixes her gaze on Kylo, and for a moment he thinks that her gaze might be softening.

“Young man. Tell me a little about yourself. Why do you think you’re my son?”

Kylo looks up from his feet and meets her gaze. “I don’t know anything about my family, and everything before I was twelve is unclear. So I really don’t know if I am, but these two thought it was a possibility, so here I am.”

She considers him. “You do look a bit like my late husband. What was the name of the family dog?”

Poe opens his mouth to stop her, vexed at the sheer unfairness of it all. Can she not even let the guy have a moment to process? But Kylo speaks up before he can get anything out. “Chewbacca?” he says, hesitant, and the look on the duchess’s face is answer enough.

“Clever,” she says, “but you’ll have to do better than that. Anyone could have found that out.” Leia picks up a wooden box off a nearby table and hands it to Kylo. At least, Poe is forced to assume it’s a box. It looks like one, but there aren’t any hinges or a clear opening. 

“This was my son’s toy box,” she says. “If you’re really him, you’ll know how to open it.”

And again, Poe is struck by how unfair this is, but Kylo takes the box and turns it over a few times, his gaze going unfocused. After a moment, his fingers find a recess in the side, and the box is open a second later.

Someone’s breath catches in their throat, as Kylo (Ben?) pulls out a necklace shaped like half of a heart. He reaches inside his collar and fishes out a necklace that is the mirror image of the one in the box. He holds them up next to each other, and it’s not even a surprise to find that they fit together perfectly.

“My son,” Leia says, tears in her eyes. She spreads her arms wide, and Ben Solo launches himself into them. It’s an intensely private moment, and yet Poe can’t tear his eyes away from them. Finn nudges him, and they head for the door.  
***  
They’re all invited to the opera that night as a thank you, and Poe can’t quite put his finger on why his conscience is gnawing at him. This is what he wanted, isn’t it? The job’s done, and he’ll get his share of the reward, and then it’s back to ordinary life for him. This is what he wanted. So why does he feel so guilty?

Of course, they all have to go and find suitable clothes. Poe might be rough around the edges, but even he knows that what he’s wearing is hardly appropriate. Rey escorts them all to one of the finest tailors in Alderaan, and when he tries to look for price tags, she frowns and shakes her head at him. 

So apparently that’s been taken care of.

While he and Finn are waiting to have their sizes taken, Ben is trying on clothes in one of the dressing rooms. He emerges a few moments later dressed in a charcoal grey suit and waistcoat, and his hair has been hurriedly combed back with his fingers. He looks like everything Poe wants and nothing he can have. He’s not the guy Poe’s been travelling with all this time. Ben’s a duke, and he’s nothing special. Just a con man who’s getting past it.

Ben turns to him and holds out his hands, an incandescent smile lighting his face. “How do I look?” he asks.

Poe smiles back, soft and yet fragile, and it’s like his heart is shattering into a thousand shining pieces. Not for him. Never for him.

“You look good,” he says.

The other man takes a step closer and lifts a hand as if to fix his collar. Poe pulls back. He’s going to be leaving soon. Best not to start something this late.

Ben’s hands are still near his collar, and something like hurt flashes in his eyes. He retreats a step, and from behind him, Finn winces.

But it has to be done, doesn’t it?  
***  
He’s walking over to the opera house with Finn. Ben’s gone back to spend some time with his mother, and Poe can’t quite convince himself that the sinking feeling in his chest is a good thing.

Finally Finn says something. “You know, for someone who’s supposed to be a pretty smart guy, you’re kind of an idiot.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He rolls his eyes. “You know what I’m talking about, Dameron. You like him. He likes you. And then you had to go and be a real asshole back there. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Look, you wouldn’t get it,” he replies, trying to deflect long enough to change the subject. But apparently that’s entirely the wrong thing to say.

Finn grabs his shoulder. “I wouldn’t understand? I know you better than anyone knows you, and you’re telling me I wouldn’t get it? That guy is the best thing that ever happened to you, present company excepted, and if you’re just going to let him walk away, you’re a fool.”

Poe pulls back. “You think I don’t know that? He’s a duke, Finn, and what am I? A nobody.”

He raises an eyebrow. “That’s as may be, but you can’t ignore this forever. Talk to him.”

“You’re not going to leave me alone unless I do, are you?” Finn just grins, and Poe sighs. “There are times when I really hate you.”  
***  
The thing about opera is that none of them actually know what it is, because both Finn and Poe grew up dirt poor and could only dream about going to sleep in an actual bed, much less seeing an opera. So when Poe goes into the opera house, his mouth nearly falls open from the sheer splendor of the place. When he looks over at Finn, their expressions are mirrors of each other.

They look around for their companions, Poe standing on tiptoe to see through the crowd of finely dressed people. Then, coming down the stairs, he spots Ben escorting Rey. They’re a finely matched pair; even he can see that. He is just tall enough to balance her height, and they look like complete opposites. They look as if they are born to this, and it makes Poe’s throat go dry. That’s the kind of person Ben deserves: someone who can help him acclimate to his new life. 

But then Finn elbows him solidly in the side. “Oh no you don’t,” he says. “I know what you’re thinking, and if I have to lock you two up in a closet, I’ll do it.” He shoves Poe forward. “Go on.”

He stumbles a few steps through the press of people and ends up next to Ben and Rey. She looks at him for a moment before recognition dawns on her and she heads off, making a beeline for someone across the room.

“Um. So,” says Poe, shoving his hands into the pockets of his too expensive trousers. 

Ben looks at him warily, and Poe really can’t blame him for being cautious.

“So,” he echoes. Oh god, this is going terribly. Poe retreats to a safer topic of conversation.

“Fancy place, right?” he says. “I keep expecting someone to kick me out.”

Ben nods, his expression still unnervingly neutral. Poe finds himself starting to panic a little. Finn was wrong, Ben despises him, and he’s probably about to get rejected spectacularly. But he has to get through it or Finn will kill him. He’s going to take the plunge; he’s going to do it-

“How’s your mom?” he asks. Dammit. That isn’t what he was going to say.

“She’s fine,” he replies, glancing around for a route of escape. That’s hurtful.

Poe sighs. “Okay, fine, I’ll bite. Did I do something to offend you?” he snaps, and is momentarily taken aback that he’s actually said it aloud.

Ben jerks back, but quickly recovers. “Really? You want to talk about this now?”

He spreads his hands. “I haven’t got anything better to do, and you’re acting super weird about something.”

He glares. “Oh, I’m being weird? You’re the one who apparently can’t handle that I’m the person you thought I was.”

Poe stares at him. “What?”

“Don’t deny it, you freaked out at the tailor’s and you’ve been acting odd ever since.”

Wait a minute. So this was somehow his fault now? Oh, hell no. “That’s only because you’re taking to this all so well.” He waves his hands. “I mean, look at you! You look like you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth.”

Ben glances around, and takes a step closer, brushing his hair back with one hand. “Look,” he starts in a hissing whisper, “I’m not the one who’s changed here. I’m still the same person, and I have no idea what I’m doing in this place.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re a duke!” Poe replies. “I shouldn’t even be in the same room as you. Look around. I don’t belong here.” He gestures widely.

The other man pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes. “That’s what this is all about? You think that somehow you’re beneath me?”

Finally.

But Ben continues. “Because then I’d have to say that you’re being a total idiot.”

Huh?

“Do you honestly think that i don’t feel the same way about all of this?” He raises his eyebrows. “I grew up in an orphanage on Hoth, Poe. We slept three to a bed.”

“But,” he sputters, “you’re literally royalty.”

He rolls his eyes. “Do I look like I care?” Then, he takes a fistful of Poe’s collar and pulls him in for a kiss. For a second, Poe freezes up from the unexpectedness of it, and Ben pulls back, concern written all over his features.

“Did I read that completely wrong?” he asks, looking as unsure as Poe’s ever seen him.

“God, no,” Poe replies, and grabs a handful of his hair to pull him down for another kiss. A proper one this time.  
***  
Finn glances at Rey, then back at Ben and Poe, who are still kissing as though they are the only two people in the world. People are staring. People are definitely staring.

He checks his battered watch. “They’re going to miss the show,” he says. “Should we go and get them?”

There’s a faint smile on Rey’s face. “No,” she says, “Let them have their moment.” Then, arm in arm, she and Finn stroll off towards their seats. It’s time for the show to begin.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for the wonderful prompts! I had such a hard time choosing, but I just had to do an Anastasia au because I'm Disney trash.


End file.
